OUR ED VISITS BAGAMOYO: HEAR FROM MEGAN MILLER

Asma, one of our tailors, and Megan (our Executive Director) meeting for the first time.

​I became Executive Director of the Sasamani Foundation back in February, but it was just last week in early August that I had the privilege to visit our operation in Tanzania and see the work first hand. What an incredible experience it was!

​We started the week meeting our in-country staff, Gladness and Elias, in person along with their beautiful families. Gladness graciously invited us to stay that evening in her home, a warm and inviting place in the outskirts of Bagamoyo.

​Gladness is our Education Director and organized visits to each of the three secondary schools that we currently support. She guided us across dusty and bumpy dirt roads to each remote location where we met with teachers, staff, and our incredible students. While there, we distributed sports uniforms that our intern Wesley Morris had ordered for the students. The students tried on the uniforms and posed for pictures, clearly ecstatic about their new digs.

We had to say goodbye much to soon as most of the students were sitting for practice exams that week. The consolation was that we would see them again at the end of the week for an inter-school competition that Gladness and Wes had organized and that Sasamani was funding.

Students wearing their sports uniforms.

Elias (far-left), Megan (next to Elias), Erica (next to Megan), Gladness (next to Erica) and sasamani board members to the far right (Columbus and Didase)

Back at the office we organized additional donated gifts, including books that had been donated by one of our generous supporters. We were able to tour some of the local sites in Bagamoyo, including the beautiful beach, the colorful and bustling fish market, and the Kaole ruins. For dinner one evening we met with our Tanzanian board members and discussed the possibility of increasing our fundraising in-country and developing an "Africa for Africa" mindset. We stressed the importance of Sasamani becoming a self-sustaining organization, with more and more fundraising and management being done locally instead of overseas.

Towards the end of the week, we engaged a photographer to take still shots and videos of members of our employment program. Sasamani employs nine local tailors to make unique bags that are sold overseas, and the entire program is managed by Elias, our Managing Director.

​Watching these talented people at their craft was captivating, and seeing the crisp, finished works was very impressive. Each time a Sasamani bag is purchased, proceeds are set aside to make a uniform for a student. This arrangement not only provides clothing for the children but also provides our tailors with additional fair-wage work. Last month in July, Elias spent several days distributing uniforms that our tailors had made to over 100 students.

The culminating event of the week was the inter-school competition, into which so many people had put their effort and hard work. It was impressive mix of debates, spelling bees, sports, food and fun! Everyone was a winner as the students were challenged both academically and physically while they tried their "level best."

Megan with one of our tailors, Mwanahamis.

Megan visiting schools and meeting Sasamani students for the first time.

​The week was extremely fulfilling and has really invigorated me to try my own level best to raise more and more funds to support the amazing work we are doing. I invite you to see what we are doing with your own eyes and encourage you to join hands with us as we support our friends in Bagamoyo.

Megan and students playing a game during the Sasamani Inter-School event 2019.